Saint-Clair Chapel and Trévelo Valley in Limerzel

Park in the small car park by the church.

(S/E) At the foot of the church, head south and take the D774 towards the old chapel (now a media library), then turn right when you reach it. Continue right on Rue Saint-Laurent (D153) until you leave the village. Take the path that branches off to the left after the last house and, at the bottom of the valley, you will come to the recently renovated wash house. Go through the gate that keeps in the animals used to maintain the site.

(1) Walk up the meadow to the right, exit through a new gate, then cross the road (D153) that surrounds the site.
Continue straight ahead on the path at the bottom of a fairly steep valley that is being overgrown by laurel trees. Follow it until you reach a footbridge that crosses the stream, and cross to the other side. The path curves sharply to reach the opposite slope. Don't miss the path that branches off to the right of the main path, which leads out of the valley.
Once you reach the top, the path follows the edge of the plateau, through a landscape of gorse heathland and sparse maritime pines. A viewpoint with an orientation table offers a beautiful view of the southern part of the commune.
Continue along the path until you reach the first crossroads and turn right again when you come to another.

(2) Take the path on the right that follows the edge of the plateau, on the border between cultivated land and wooded heathland. After leaving the hills behind, you will find yourself in a very agricultural countryside.
In Penmur, pass the first farmhouse, then turn left between the houses and continue straight ahead along the road that leads to the hamlet. Cross the next junction and pass through the hamlet of Kerbréhan to reach the D136.

(3) Turn left, then immediately right onto the road towards Bodeu. Follow this road, ignoring the turnings on either side, and cross the hamlet.

(4) Turn left at the crossroads, pass the tall stone cross, then cross the Old Town via the path that winds its way between the first houses on the right of the hamlet. After going around the village, turn right at the next crossroads to reach the Temple de Haut.

(5) At the crossroads, turn left towards the hamlet, then right twice to cross it. You will then come to the Saint-Julien Chapel and its magnificent calvary with four sculpted faces.

(6) Leave the chapel and continue around the village, turn right again, then when you reach the crossroads at the entrance to the village, turn left onto the path that leads under the trees. It overlooks the wet meadows that mark the bottom of the valley where the Saint-Clair stream flows. As you approach the Pluherlin road, go up to the right towards Brunelay de Haut. When you reach the road, turn left to rejoin the D774, and follow it carefully on the left for about 60 metres.

(7) Cross over to take the path that branches off to the right towards the Saint-Clair Chapel. On the way, walk past the fountain dedicated to the saint before reaching the calvary that bears his name.

(8) Continue to the left to discover the chapel in its wooded setting.

(9) Return to the calvary.

(8) Take the path that starts behind it on the left and follows the edge of the woods above the stream. After a passage that climbs up through the meadows, the route reaches a farm track. Continue straight ahead to reach a small road.

(10) As you approach the road, you will see the confluence of the Saint-Clair and Trévelo streams below on your left. Continue along the road for about 100 metres, then turn right onto a path which, after a 90° bend, joins the bank of the stream.

(11) Turn right onto the path which, for more than 2 km, more or less follows the stream at the bottom of a wooded and mossy valley, straying from it a few times to pass through converging valleys. Along this enclosed route, you will discover the old mills that were built here to harness the energy of the stream. Only the first of these, the Moulin de Trévelo, has retained its reservoir, where cabins now float, promising enchanted nights.

(12) After the Moulin de Trévelo, the trail leaves the stream and climbs up a valley occupied by a meadow. At the crossroads at the top of the meadow, ignore the path that seems to extend the trail and climbs up to Caroualin on the right. You have to go around the top of the meadow, taking the path furthest to the left to return to the stream.

(13) As the valley opens up, the site of a factory below the trail marks the exit from the gorge. The path branches off to the right and the bell tower of Limerzel appears nearby. A long avenue lined with tall trees leads us closer to it. Leave the avenue when it turns right uphill and take the path on the left that enters the valley. After following a tree-lined edge, join a small road near a crossroads slightly to the left.

(14) Cross the junction and join a path that starts at the opposite corner, continuing up the valley. After about 300 m, turn left, cross a stream and climb steeply up the slope to reach the first houses of Limerzel.
Go straight ahead at the first crossroads, turn left onto Rue de la Stévannerie to reach Place de l'Église and the starting point (S/E).

The village of Limerzel has some beautiful granite buildings. On one of them, just below the church, note the enormous and intricate tuffeau stone coat of arms that adorns the façade.

As you pass through the villages, note the multitude of rural heritage objects still in good condition (oven, calvary, well, etc.), and in particular the large building in the village of Bodeu with its façade topped by a half-moon. A beautiful circular oven and a square well adorn its grounds.

Although the Chapel of Saint-Julien is closed, you can still take a peek inside through the oculus in the main door. At the back of the nave, take a look at the beautiful painted stone altarpiece that adorns the opposite wall.

The site of Saint-Clair, with its fountain, rustic calvary and chapel, is a place of great tranquillity, far from any inhabited area.